It’s a fishing day

Beaver Lake fishing conditions · Arkansas

Now until 4 pmWalleye

The bite peaks at 71. Water is 51°, inside their 50–72° range.

Frost Advisory until Sunday 9 am
Log a trip here
Right now: 71 for walleye, worth the trip · inside the best windowTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Walleye, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

  1. 713 pm
  2. 65
  3. 61
  4. 616 pm
  5. 47
  6. 47
  7. 479 pm
  8. 47
  9. 51
  10. 51Sun
  11. 47
  12. 47
  13. 473 am
  14. 47
  15. 47
  16. 516 am
  17. 47
  18. 47
  19. 479 am
  20. 47
  21. 51
  22. 6112 pm
  23. 57
  24. 57
  25. 573 pm
  26. 57
  27. 51
  28. 476 pm
  29. 47
  30. 47
  31. 479 pm
  32. 47
  33. 51
  34. 51Mon
  35. 51
  36. 47
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now · best window

Water
51°F

Walleye range 50–72°

Wind
5 mph

From the south

Light
Daylight

Sunset 5:13 pm

Sky
Partly Sunny

No rain expected

Air
55°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Falling

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
5% lit

Waning crescent

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are Arkansas regulations for these waters.

Walleye

Walleye

Sander vitreus

71Worth the tripNow until 4 pm

Water

51°
40°50–72° · ideal 62°82°

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Walleye feeds aggressively in low light. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 10–40 ft down.

Keep

18" minimum · 4 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. No walleye under 18"; 4 a day.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Beaver and Bull Shoals

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Feb–May, Nov–Dec, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on walleye

Striped Bass

Striped bass

Morone saxatilis

63MarginalNow until 4 pm

Water

51°
40°50–72° · ideal 62°82°

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Inside striped bass's active range. Holds 5–35 ft down.

Keep

20" minimum · 3 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 3 striped and hybrid bass a day combined; striped bass must be at least 20".

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Beaver Lake

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Jun, Oct–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on striped bass

Crappie

Crappie

Pomoxis spp.

63MarginalNow until 4 pm

Water

51°
40°50–80° · ideal 65°90°

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Inside crappie's active range. Holds 3–20 ft down.

Keep

10" minimum · 15 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. No crappie under 10"; 15 a day.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Beaver and Bull Shoals

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Mar–May, Oct–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on crappie

Largemouth Bass

Largemouth bass

Micropterus salmoides

22Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

51°
45°55–85° · ideal 72°95°

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Below largemouth bass's active range (55–85°F). Holds 3–25 ft down.

Keep

15" minimum · 6 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. No largemouth or smallmouth under 15" (spotted bass 12" on Bull Shoals); 6 black bass a day combined.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Beaver and Bull Shoals

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Mar–Dec, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on largemouth bass

Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth bass

Micropterus dolomieu

22Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

51°
45°55–78° · ideal 68°88°

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Below smallmouth bass's active range (55–78°F). Holds 3–30 ft down.

Keep

15" minimum · 6 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. No smallmouth or largemouth under 15"; 6 black bass a day combined.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Beaver and Bull Shoals

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Mar–Dec, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on smallmouth bass

Common Carp

Common carp

Cyprinus carpio

22Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

51°
42°52–86° · ideal 72°96°

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Below common carp's active range (52–86°F). Holds 1–15 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Arkansas treats common carp as a rough fish. Its statewide length and daily limits do not include carp.

Verified Oct 18, 2026 · Arkansas

Last checked 20 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on common carp

The water

  • Water temperature51°F
  • Barometer30.20 inHg, falling

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today5:13 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow6:45 am
  • MoonWaning crescent, 5% lit
  • Minor solunarToday 3:40 pm–4:40 pm
  • Major solunarTonight 10:10 pm–12:10 am
  • Minor solunarTomorrow 5:50 am–6:50 am

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

No current report covers these waters.

We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. Arkansas Game & Fish has the state’s fishing pages.

Licenses and rules: state fishery agencies · fish-consumption advisories

About this spot

A clear Ozark reservoir in northwest Arkansas near Fayetteville — largemouth, smallmouth, and stripers on the main lake, with crappie and walleye in the creek arms.

Nearby

Public spots within 40 miles, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Table Rock Lake32 mi · MissouriBest now until 7 pmFrost Advisory
65Marginal

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Beaver Lake?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Beaver Lake you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Beaver Lake?

Beaver Lake is listed on this site for 6 commonly-targeted species: Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Striped Bass, Walleye, and 2 more. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Beaver Lake?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Beaver Lake against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Beaver Lake have?

Beaver Lake has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Beaver Lake?

state agency regulations apply at Beaver Lake. Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Beaver Lake tidal water?

No. Beaver Lake is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.